The Man of the Lonely Tower
by levahcir
Summary: The Elysion royal family holds a secret that Serena doesn't know.
1. Prologue: Stolen

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Sailor Moon.**

**A/N: Hi all. This is my second attempt at a Sailor Moon fanfic. Just a fair warning, it's slightly _ecchi._**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

**-Stolen-**

She stood in the centre of a small circular room of a tall stone tower. Her long silvery hair flowed like the endless waves of a gentle sea. It hung over the window's ledge and spilled like a waterfall locked in an eternal stillness, like a curtain that would open up to a world of purity and beauty. The full moon glowed at the top of the night sky, like a perfectly chiseled gem. Its heavenly light shone through the window and her fair face sparkled in its full radiance. Her pure blue eyes were wide with surprise as they took in the dark silhoutte figure that had ascended to the tower with the help of her hair. The faint scent of lavender lingered in the small room as the night visitor's robes flapped gently in the wind. Tears began to form at the corner of her eyes once his face was revealed to her.

"King Endy... mion..." she whispered, recognizing the man who had been appearing in her dreams every night.

The man closed the gap between them. He gazed at the silver-haired beauty through masked eyes. "You know me?" he asked.

She nodded, "I dreamed of you."

"It's not a dream. It's a vision. A vision I've sent you so that you will not fear me when I come for you."

"You came for me?" she asked and realized she had asked the same thing in her dreams. He smiled as if knowing her thoughts. "Yes... Do you remember now?" His face was now only inches away from her and her heart thudded madly like the beating wings of a bird trapped in a cage. She knew exactly what happens next and her mind raced with vivid images of sweet delight. She nodded.

"Serenity..." he whispered, his breath exuding a sigh with deep longing. "Will you be my queen?"

She replied with a soft yes to which he gave in return an immediate burst of affection. He brought his lips wholly unto hers, drowning her innocence. She eased within his tender embrace and allowed him to take her fully to a world she had never known throughout her time in the tower. She felt herself blush when a soft moan escaped from her lips as he planted kisses on her neck. She had never experienced such passion before and strange warmth emanated from just beneath her navel. His firm grip around her lower waist stirred something within her and she longed to sink deeper into this sea of mystery.

Her body took on a new sensuality as her breaths grew sharper and her lips grew hungrier. For that he responded with deeper kisses while his hands explored further the smooth mounds of her body. She writhed beneath him as the edge of her white silk dress travelled further upwards, exposing her thighs. He gently rubbed the insides of her thighs, urging them to spread further apart. Her own hands were exploring his now unclad body and the sensation of a throbbing hardness sent a wave of electricity through her spine. From the insides of her thighs, he began roaming deeper into her most sacred part. She cried out and grabbed a fistful of his hair as she felt him tasting her glistening sweetness. She did not understand this feeling. No, she did not understand it at all! But it throbbed, oh how it throbbed! Her mind swam in a whirl of euphoria.

His kisses melted inside her, intertwining with the rhythmic dance of her hips. Her knees were in the air and her whole body rocked uncontrollably. The sound coming out from her was alien and so was the growing sensation building inside her. It grew and grew, and climbed towards the top of her head. Her cries grew louder and she felt completely flushed. I'm almost there! she thought. Where, she did not know but there is where she cannot wait to reach.

Then as if he had sensed her almost at her peak, he stopped and muffled her moans with a deep agonizing kiss. "Serenity..." he whispered while nibbling on her earlobes and waited for the storm within her to calm. He repeated her name as he stared deeply into her eyes. There was a change in rhythm as he guided her thighs to spread even further. She felt him raise his buttocks a little and in a split moment she felt the tip of his hardness followed by a thrust with all the strength and determination and care that moulded it. A sharp gasp escaped from her throat as the sensation of both pain and pleasure intermingled harmoniously inside her. She whimpered softly and tightened her hold of his neck at the crook of her arms. He waited until she was ready before he glided slightly out of her and a husky sound escaped from him as he thrust back in. The second one didn't bring as much pain to her as the first and moments later, with her legs straddled around his waist, their hips begin to rock in harmony.

The pace was quickening. His thrusts grew harder and more aggressive, ramming her against the floorboards, and her eyelids fluttered wildly as she hit the peak for the third time. _"Endymion!" _she cried and that was his cue. With one final push, he planted his seed, after which he rested on top of her for awhile, spent. After one last kiss, he withdrew away from her. Like a person who just realized the consequences of his actions, he wrapped his loose robe around her and grieved. He had thrown all the rules out of the window and allowed the animal within him to thrive. He felt truly sorry for the unduly pain he had cost her. Such resolution was unbefitting for a lady and he felt ashamed.

As if understanding, she stroked the side of his face tenderly. "I'm fine," she told him and smiled even though there was a dull throbbing in her belly. "I love you... Endymion."

_"I love you too…"_

* * *

Hours passed and the sky was beginning to glow a pink hue as the sun's warm rays cut through the darkness. A swirl of dried leaves danced within the tall tower and a lone bird sang on the window's ledge. The silken folds of a white dress lay crumpled on the floor and the still shadow of a figure loomed over it. His dark indigo eyes narrowed as they roamed around it, as if searching for the life that it once carried.

His long midnight hair hung limply over his shoulders as he bent over the dress and grabbed a fistful of the cloth. His shoulders shuddered as he choked back his sobs.

"Serenity..."


	2. Princess

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters of Sailor Moon.**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**-Princess-**

* * *

The bloated belly of the sky rumbled as it began to open up and pour forth its baptismal blessing upon the land of Elysion, drowning away the vivid hues of green, red and purple that stretched across the forested land in an endless winding of canopies and mountains. It was a sight to behold, especially from the highest peak of the Elysion tower, and she thought the forest was weeping for her.

_'The weeping forest...'_ she thought as she willed the brush in her hand to strike with fluid grace. Her brush was a sword and the canvas before her which mirrored her pure and innocent heart, was now cut and stained. She stared out into the forest, its beauty blurred by the brutal downpour, and returned to the canvas in an attempt to freeze her memory with the tip of her brush. Her strokes were wild yet governed by a gentle flow and soon, an eternal representation of a vision that would not last forever was created.

There was a light rapping on the door. Time was unwound. The sound of reality was a creaking hinge.

"Princess? Are you... _oh my!_"

A pair of feminine hands graced the corner of her fresh canvas. "Is this your newest piece? What's it called?"

"The Weeping Forest," the princess replied, piercing the hands with her blue eyes, willing it to move away. It did not. Instead, the tip of the fingers crept inwards, threatening to leave its own mark on her creation. "The paint is still wet." The fingers curled as if stung by the subtle tone in her voice. The hands then traveled and finally cupped over her own, and ocean-green eyes met hers, stealing her away from the reverie she had been trying so hard to hold on to.

"Princess..."

"Yes, Lady Michiru?"

"Your father and mother wants you to know that it pains them very much by putting you up here. They truly wish that this will be the last time and you will start respecting their wishes by never again venture into the forest."

The princess's eyes fell back to the infinite meandering of green, red and purple. It might very well be a mirage, she thought.

"The forest is a very dangerous place and the last thing the people of Elysion want is to lose their one and only princess to its dangerous bowels," the woman, whom the princess knew since she could remember as Lady Michiru continued. She crooned with a voice as gentle as a lapping ocean wave, her long lush hair cascaded over her slender body and the princess blushed slightly when her eyes fell upon her bosom. Compared to Lady Michiru, she looked like one of the dolls she had in her collection: Petite and small-chested, a small face with big doe eyes that brimmed with gullibility. In all honesty, she hated the way she looked. The only redeeming quality she wanted to believe she had was her smooth golden locks that could, in the complementing words of others, whisk even the most beautiful angel of its airy feet. And because of that, she let it grow till it traced the floor and every year as it grew some more, she would twist it up into two chignon buns on the top sides of her head, like her mother.

Her mother happened to be the queen of Elysion. And her mother was the reason why she turned into a recluse who sought solitude in her paintings. Though she had never found out why, she knew her mother had a strange almost claustrophobic fear towards towers and had hoped that she would cause the same vehemence to sprout within the young princess's heart by placing her in the highest part of the Elysion tower whenever she was caught in some mischief. But, oh how wrong she was.

"I like it here," she simply stated. "It's nice and quiet and I don't mind staying up here for the rest of my life."

"Hush! Don't ever say such things!" Lady Michiru exclaimed through sharp hisses. Her brows furrowed and her hands clamped over the princess's with a tighter grip. "You're a princess and you know very well that your place is not in this tower."

"Then why do my parents keep me here all the time?"

"Why do you keep insisting on venturing into the forest all the time?"

Lady Michiru's question hung in the air like an ominous cloud. The princess's eyes drank the forest in once more. Time swirled backwards and she was back where the leaves of the trees fell over her like soft feathers and the gold-red grass crinkled beneath the trail of her dress. She roamed the forest and felt it close its leaves and limbs behind her back as she continued to wander deeper in the shadows. Something in the forest was pulling her in and though the trees loomed over her like scary looking giants, she wasn't afraid.

She stumbled upon a clearing and right in the middle of it, a ray of sunlight was streaming down from an opening in the canopy creating a pool of golden light upon the earth, and basked in its heavenly glory was a single stalk of rose. She looked upon it in awe, for she had never seen a shade of red that seemed to bleed with such intensity, not even in her most extensive collection of paint. She knelt before it and lightly traced her fingers around the soft velvety petals, afraid the the color would weep at her touch.

She felt someone behind her, watching her. She turned around.

Like the red rose, she had never seen hair so wickedly dark, as if the Goddess of Midnight had decided to take form and settle upon a man's head where she would for an eternity hang over his shoulders, and her fingers were the black tendrils that would any moment come to life, grabbing anything to feed her need to destroy. Such thought chilled her to the bones and her eyes darted desperately around for a way out. But everywhere except for the opening where she came from looked meaner than the man with the Goddess of Midnight creeping over his shoulders, and to her horror, he looked like he wasn't going to let her pass!

Then like a curtain swaying in the wind, the Goddess of Midnight parted her limbs and revealed her treasure. A pair of deep purple gems shone from a face so beautiful and yet strong at the same time. Her eyes traveled around the wide masculine cheekbones, then craddled the nose that had an intimate bond with the forest's scents. They kissed upon the high forehead that seemed to hold a million and one mysteries and finally they swam around the soft mound of those slightly upturned lips that she yearned to touch. The rest of him was enshrouded within a grey robe and before she could catch herself, she wondered how it would be like to be lost inside.

Her heart thumped, no longer with fear but a strange anticipation.

"She rarely has visitors."

She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. It had a deep resonating tone, as if the forest had spoken through him.

"W-who?" she stuttered and immediately hated herself for it. Not only did she stutter, she had squeaked like a mouse and she felt like a joke. She wasn't very good with strangers. Well, thanks to her mother who puts her away in the tower all the time.

"The rose," he told her, his gentle smile unwavering.

"She's b-b-beautiful." O_h Lord._

There was a sudden twinkle in his eyes, as if he had stumbled upon something delightful. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I'm not going to eat you."

_"W-Who said I'm af-f-fraid!"_ Her sudden outburst was like a needle prick against a well-formed balloon and a flock of birds escaped from a nearby tree. Against the sunlight, they looked like shards of a broken glass.

And right before her eyes, the air of mystery which she had an instant ago felt around the man disappeared. Their encounter took on a different turn as the man clamped both hands against his ears and squirmed on the spot. "Little lady, you didn't have to shout or you'll scare more than just the birds away."

_Is this guy serious?_ "I wasn't shouting! And don't call me little lady!"

His perfectly shaped eyebrows arched ever so slightly, a questioning look took hold of his well-chiseled features. Before him stood a petite girl clad in a frilly pink dress, with smooth golden locks that almost reached her ankle which he noticed had a silver chain with a bell on it. Every little movement she made with her feet, the bell would ever so softly tinkle like a fairy's voice and it was like music to his ears. He drank her face in and tried to read her soul through the pure blue shine of her eyes yet all he could sense was a rushing well of loneliness wanting to overflow and drown him. She was indeed a little lady with the spirit of a wild mare. Since he saw her alone in the forest and trailed behind, he had noticed a constant nagging and tugging at his heart. He hadn't understood it before but now he was beginning to. Hadn't he once upon a time been bestowed with a small fragment of moonlight by the very goddess herself? Is this chance encounter with something so bright and lovely his gift for redemption? He must find out. Of course, all these thoughts were never made known to her.

"What should I call you then?" he asked.

His question caused her time to stop as voices of the past crashed upon her like a tidal wave.

_Never share the knowledge of your origin outside of Elysion... No one outside of Elysion must ever know your true name... Never let anyone outside of Elysion know that you're the princess of Elysion._

He waited and he could almost feel the roots of the trees writhing through the forest soil beneath him. He was about to ask again when something darted between them from a nearby underbrush. All he could make out was a blur of white and he thought he could hear a _whoosh!_ as it flew past. He stared at where it landed and saw a pair of upright ears, a twitching nose and a soft white cotton ball of a tail. It eyeballed him, its bulging red eye said: _Hah! Gotcha!_ before it hopped away into a different underbrush.

"Usagi," she said.

He blinked at her as if she was an illusion.

"You can call me Usagi," she told him again.

"Usagi..." he echoed slowly as he took in every syllable of the word, caressed it with the tip of his tongue and hung onto it like it was the remaining rope of life.

The mysterious air was back and it surrounded him with more intensity, like a veil that she cannot look beyond unless he allowed her to. And she did want to. _Who is he? Where did he come from? Does he live in this forest?_ She had many questions and she was about to open her mouth to ask when she heard a horde of voices surmounting her from outside.

_"Princess!" _It was one of her father's men and they were approaching fast. She cringed as the sound of metal jarred towards her, like the oncoming march of doom. A cold steely hand clamped over her shoulder, almost crushing her on the spot. "Princess! Thank Lord we found you! What in the world were you _thinking?"_

"I'm sorry. I got lost." It was a lie, but a reasonable one nonetheless and no one would ever know. As she was being escorted away from the forest, _hopefully for the last time!_ was what the soldier said, she turned only to find patches of overgrown grass. There was no rose, no beautiful pools of heavenly light shining upon the earth, and no dark-haired man. There was absolutely no sign of them ever being there and she had wandered back into the forest many times after that searching for the little piece of magic she had seen and felt. But everytime she would be found by her father's men and everytime she would be led away only to be placed in the Elysion tower where she would be lost in her thoughts wondering if...

_Maybe it's only a dream. Maybe it was just my imagination getting the best of me. Maybe mother is right, that the forest is dangerous and full of evil magic. Maybe if my father's men hadn't come, I might have been taken away, never to return. Maybe..._

"Princess?"

"Yes, Lady Michiru?"

She heard a soft sigh and an air of resignation lingered. "Come back down and grant us with your presence, please?" Lady Michiru waited for a nod before she finally left.

She drew a deep breath and tried for one last time to gather all the sights and sounds and scents she had experienced before she tucked her painting under her arm and went down the spiral stairs that led to the bottom of the tower: temple and home of the divine. Her feet padded lightly upon the temple's stone floor where she knelt and received a sprinkle of holy water from the priestess of Elysion. Behind the priestess was a closed door where the chosen maidens received their training, one of them being her close friend. _Maybe I'll visit her later,_ she thought as she left the temple's floor and headed to Elysion's main palace hall, where her parents would be expecting her arrival.

She stopped at the doorway, bracing herself before she set foot inside. There, her parents sat, her father in his kingly lavender robe and her mother in her queenly pearl white dress. She carried the fineness and gracefulness of the moon, with her long silver hair flourishing like a star cluster all the way to her feet. According to the stories she used to hear, her mother's hair used to stretch all across the land of Elysion and that her father, the then handsome gallant prince had found her trapped high up in the clouds by ascending up her hair and then took her as his queen. Such stories used to enthrall her night after night but not anymore.

"Father, Mother. Your daughter's arrived," she said with a curtsy.

"Serena, Serena," the queen began in her dreamy tone which soon took on a sharp edge when she saw what was jutting from under her daughter's arm. "What in Lord's name is _that?_ And oh _your dress!_"

"It's my latest painting Mother," Serena said. "It's called 'The Weeping Forest'."

The queen crinkled her nose, a usual sign of disapproval. "Oh, why do you like burdening yourself? We already have many fine artists who are being paid handsomely in exchange for their beautiful art pieces which we decorate our walls with. What are we to do with yours? Surely you mustn't think we'd have _that_ on display, _hmm?"_

"I'll hang it in my room," Serena replied with a shrug.

"Oh but what if you ran out of wall in your room, _hmm?"_

_Oh mother..._

"Serena dear," her father stood up, his royal cane in his hand, the skull glowering menacingly at her. Serena never understood her father's appeal towards the macabre. "As you know, you're no longer a child. You can't just go wandering off like that."

"Yes, Father." They've been through this many times before and there was nothing much she can say. It's not like she can bribe him with skulls and bones in exchange for her to roam freely as she pleases.

"Serena wishes to be excused from your presence." With a final curtsy, and 'The Weeping Forest' hugged close to her chest, Serena skittered off before she had to suffer another earful of her mother's _hmm-s? _and before her father's skull-cane's hollow brooding eyes started to glow an ember red, which it had been doing a lot lately.

Back in her room, she hung her latest art piece, which she pretended not to care that it was not worthy of display in her mother's corridors, on an an empty spot on the wall right next to her bed. Then, it was as if all the restraints of being a princess had loosen from her wrists and ankles and they fell onto the floor like an invisible heap of shackles. She slumped onto the bed without changing her paint-stained dress and before long her breathing lulled her into a hidden place where the forest wind beckons her, where a certain someone with hair that could send even the darkest soul to quiver in fear, and with a blood-red rose in hand, awaits.


	3. Son of Elysion

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of characters of Sailor Moon.**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**-Son of Elysion-**

* * *

The five-tiered grand chandelier hung above the main dining hall shimmering in all its age-old grandeur as candlelight glinted off its golden arms. It had been specially crafted from the finest of gold ore and stone, and shipped across the sea as a gift to King Rhadamanthos, first ruler and king of Elysion. Gathering dust over the years, it bore witness to the first walk of every member of the royal family and heard every last breath when time no longer waited. It had known every cry and laughter that could still be heard through the tiny cracks of the palace walls. Like a silent guardian, it watched from above the comings and goings of its masters and tonight the newest of the lot gathered to dine beneath it, its hundred and one rose-scented candles bringing both light and warmth to them.

The royal dining table stood at thirty feet long. Its white marble top was cool to the touch and shone with the radiance of a mother of pearl. Supporting its weight were four sets of legs identically carved in a form of a bronze lion's paw. A feast was spread out across the table and Elysion's latest king, Endymion, son of Aethlios, sat at the end where his father and forefathers had sat before, clutching his skull cane possessively between his knees. His wife and queen, Serenity, sat at the other end. The silver shine of her hair bounced off the marble slab table top, creating a white moon-like glow around her. Her gaze was faraway and dreamy as she watched one of her maids serve her garden salad. Seated on her right was the younger replica of herself, except for the smooth golden locks that were bundled up high, a string of pearls wound around it. Princess Serena's blue eyes were down, watching her own fingers fiddle with the creases of her white dress that hung just below her knees.

Beside her was Lady Salacia, only daughter of King Aethlios's sister. Without having to bear the burden of the Elysion bloodline, she had the freedom to travel far and wide. She came upon a land where the people spoke with a different tongue and it was there where she was given the name _Michiru_. Throughout the years, she had learned the ways of a bard, then a dancer and finally a painter. Word came to her one day that the new Queen of Elysion was of child and needed a Lady of the House of Elysion to act as governess. She returned, leaving her hopes and dreams behind in that mysterious land which she had grown to love. It was through her that Serena learned how to paint, among many other things. _"Call me Michiru," _she had said to her.

Sitting directly across Serena was her father's younger sister and her aunt, Lady Berylia. Her hair fell over her back in thick spirals, screaming blood-red and Serena thought she looked beautiful in a deadly sort of way. An infamous tale has it that Serena's grandmother had bled to death while giving birth to Berylia and the blood soaked through the roots of her hair so deeply that it could not be washed away.

Never knowing a mother's love and always suffering under her father's scorn she grew to become a hard woman. She rarely smiled, which when she did was often forced and without any mirth. The father and daughter relationship was a constant whisper among palace servant-gossip: He blamed her for the queen's untimely death which was the reason for his scorn. But a deeper truth set within Serena after studying a portrait of the late Queen Kalykia. She was confident and elegant, her skin milk-white and her gaze sharp. One might mistake it be Lady Berylia sitting within the heavyset bronze frame if not for the hair, black as a raven's wing which King Endymion had inherited instead. Serena realized then in her own little way that King Aethlios only saw the face of his dead wife.

On the right of King Endymion sat Sir Malakhe, husband to Berylia. Malakhe appeared to be a man of little words, his snow-white hair falling across his face as he bent to whisper into Endymion's ear when there were words to be said. His eyes stood out from his dark and handsome face like a pair of electrifying blue lights that softened whenever he smiled. When Endymion became king, Malakhe took his father's place as the king's right-hand man which earned him the right to Lady Berylia's hand. Serena thought about the scar that stretched across one end of his torso to the other and remembered the story of how taking the end of an enemy's sword while protecting Endymion had also opened a doorway through Berylia's heart.

The fruit of Sir Malakhe and Lady Berylia's union sat between them. Adamas was a year younger than Serena. He had his father's hair and his mother's white skin and icy blue eyes. Even though they were cousins and practically grew up together, she wouldn't trust to be alone with him. She could never explain why Adamas gave her the chills. Perhaps it was the way he stared at her or the coldness of his presence whenever he was close to her. Serena was sure that he was eyeing on becoming Elysion's next king. But he was no heir of Elysion - thus making Serena Elysion's next rightful ruler - and she felt him detesting her for it. But tonight, she felt no such resentment from him. Her blue eyes danced from one Elysion to another until they fell upon Adamas.

His eyes were feeding on a new prey.

Serena followed his gaze. It fell upon a tuft of hair as black as a raven's wing and stayed. The head suddenly shot up and for a split second, her father's face stared back at her. She blinked. Then her father's face was gone and instead she was staring at a younger man. He smiled and she looked away, face flushed.

He had arrived knocking on Elysion's gates, claiming to be a true son of Elysion. After being invited inside, he had begun his tale of how a certain prince, accompanied by his four guardians had stumbled upon a certain village where the prince stole the heart of a certain maiden. After the passing of three consecutive new moons, the prince and his guardians left the village, claiming it was for the sake of war. The prince promised to return for the maiden, leaving her a token of his word: a crystal pendant. Over the next six months, with the testament of their union growing in her womb, she waited for his return.

Her child emerged and grew and she saw that he had his father's eyes and hair. "_Your father is the prince of Elysion and he's coming back for us," _she had told him. He believed her and together they waited. Because words flew like leaves in the autumn wind, from mouth to ear and ear to mouth, it became known to them that the prince had taken a bride. They had ruled as king and queen of Elysion for over a decade and they had a child whose hair shone like the morning sun.

Heartbroken, the boy listened helplessly as his mother moaned in her sleep. Before she died with the prince's betrayal wrenched deeply in her heart, his name escaped from her dying lips like a poisonous fume. "_Go to Elysion and reclaim your place as the rightful heir of Endymion…"_

And that he did, with his mother's crystal pendant worn around his neck.

King Endymion had listened intently, his face taut and emotionless but his mind was like a spider stuck in its own web. He could not remember the maiden's name but he remembered the nights he had with her. He was travelling with his four guardians, looking for a tower. They came upon a village where they decided to rest. Tired and sore from the journey, the pretty maiden aiding by his side had been kind, her comfort reminding him of his own mother. Her lips and body were as inviting as sweet honey, which took his mind away for awhile. Then he left, for he was young and the shrewdness of kings ran thick in his veins. He never expected the maiden to wait for him for he had been told that women of the common land were filled with greed and knew no loyalty. He believed that she would eventually forget and move on. _If I only knew, I would have…_

He looked at the younger man whose hair had been long and dark as a raven's wing. _A son_, he thought. _I've got a son._ And that was all that mattered. _Yes, you may stay,_ he had declared without any further thought.

"_Are you out of your bloody mind!"_ Lady Berylia had screamed, her fiery hair screaming along with her in mad fury.

"_Calm down, Sister."_

"_Don't tell me to calm down! Just look what came knocking on our gates because YOU couldn't calm that HOG of yours down! Oh, my stupid, stupid brother! You stupid, stupid fool!"_ Berylia wailed and beat on Endymion's chest.

"_Yes I was a stupid, stupid fool!" _Endymion boomed, losing his cool. "_But as king of Elysion, I must right my wrongs. If Darion says who he is, then he is who he says he is. Until proven otherwise, he must be accepted as a son of Elysion."_

"_But he's half a whore! You're tarnishing the bloodline!"_

"_Mind your tongue Sister!"_

"_This is bloody treachery!"_

Lady Berylia had fled back into her room and refused to come out for dinner until Sir Malakhe had no choice but to coax her.

"_Berylia my love, please. King Endymion realizes his mistake and he sincerely wishes to make up for it. If you truly care for your brother you would watch his back, wouldn't you? You would see with your own eyes if this Darion is truly who he said he is, if he is worthy to be called a son of Elysion. And if he is, don't you see what this means?"_

Lady Berylia looked at her husband, the harshness gone from her eyes. She nodded.

"_This means the name of Elysion continues. Only sons of Elysion descent can carry on the family name."_

"_Yes, my love. You're absolutely right. So what if his mother was a common woman. It doesn't matter as long as his father is king. Darion's arrival is truly a gift!"_

"_What of Adamas? He's…"_

"_Our son is a fool! He has disrespected the Elysion family, YOUR family long enough. He fancies himself the next king of Elysion? He may have Elysion blood but he's not the son of a king. Unfortunately for him, he holds the same destiny as I and it's high time he get it in his head and put himself in some better use. My father and forefathers have served as right-hand men to the kings of Elysion since the first rule and God forbid the legacy that they have worked so hard for should end at my time because of our son's arrogance."_

_"What of Serenity?"_

"_She's…"_ Malakhe paused, anger subsided. "_You know..."_

_Berylia nodded._

_Malakhe cupped Berylia's hands, about to say more when a long shadow caught the corner of his eye._

"_Sir Malakhe? Lady Berylia? Dinner is served."_

"_Come dine with us my love. For me."_

Lady Berylia sighed. "_Alright."_

Harp music tinkled and glided within the walls of the dinner hall, accompanied by the light clinks of silverware and wine glasses. A glass sat in the palm of Lady Berylia's hand, twirling its contents before she brought it up to her lips. Serena shivered as she watched the deep red fluid disappear through her lips, leaving it ruby stained before it was licked away. Serena thought she looked dangerously like a blood-drinking demoness.

"So, Darion," Berylia began. "Tell us more about yourself." There was a playful ring to her voice and a twinkling in her eye that said she had drunk too fast.

Darion looked at the woman with writhing blood-red locks, the wariness in his eyes hidden by the dark bangs of his hair. He sensed everyone's eyes on him, waiting for his response. He put down his fork and knife, glistening with steak juice, fiddled with the base of his wine glass and replied, "My mother was Ioulia Aspida, the proud daughter of Damianos Aspida. It was he, Damianos, who raised me and made me the man I am today."

Lady Berylia's brow furrowed. "Damianos? Where have I heard that name before?"

A small knowing smile spread across Darion's lips as he told her. Endymion's eyes grew wide at the revelation. Berylia lightly touched her lips which were parted in a silent gasp. Malakhe shot up from his seat which screeched defiantly as it was pushed backwards. His electric blue eyes sparked with fury. But underneath that rage, Serena sensed a hidden fear. "This is getting interesting," whispered her ocean-haired governess.

"_Die! Endymion!"_ _A murderous cry thundered towards them. Endymion turned and could hardly react and draw out his sword as he watched the swift swing of a blade coming down towards him, its sharp edge glinted with a deadly light._

"_I, Damianos will avenge my daughter!"_

_He heard flesh and robes rip among the course of chaos. He saw a splatter of blood on the earth and for a moment he thought it was his own. Then he noticed the silhouette figure towering over him. As it fell forward, he caught a glimpse of white hair. Malakhe! he thought and rushed to grab his falling guardian. Something warm and wet poured against his clutching hands as he ordered the rest of his guardians to capture the attacker._

"_Bring me his hand!"_

"The poison from the blade that severed his hand reached his heart before sundown," Darion said.

"Are you here to seek revenge?" King Endymion asked with dry lips. In his mind, he was replaying the moment when his white haired guardian took the blow in his place.

Darion raised an eyebrow. "Revenge? What sort of ending would I accomplish if I were to seek revenge? My mother is dead, my grandfather poisoned, his corpse missing a hand. I have no relatives, no friends to welcome my return. I have left the place that I used to call home. So tell me where can I return to after I seek my revenge? No, I am not here to seek revenge but justice. Do you not think that I deserve a better life now after the years you put me through, Father?"

A dark silent chill befell the dining table when Darion mouthed the word _Father_ and a heavy cloud brewed in Endymion's mind. Not long later did he realise he had been gripping his skull-cane with so much force, his right hand knuckles grew red. He relaxed his hand, allowing the sensation of pins and needles to rouse him from the deep tremors that were starting to grow within him. He looked at Darion and smiled, "of course you do, _Son."_

A pang hit Serena in the chest. Did she just imagine the endearment in her father's voice when he said the word _son? _She forked the last bit of her salad and chewed greatly on the greens. As she got up to take leave from the dining table in a hasty manner, a plate slipped off the smooth table cloth and caused a great shattering on the floor. Serena's cheeks went hot with embarrassment as the whole room went silent to watch her, as if each one was waiting for the next foolish move she was about to make. Even the blue-haired harpist had stopped and looked at the princess's direction.

"Oh Serena, why are you such a klutz, _hmm?"_

And Serena turned away without a curtsy or a word of apology and no one except her governess and long lost half-brother saw a trail of tears fall like precious pearls in her wake.


	4. Dream

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters of Sailor Moon.

A/N: Hello everyone. Thank you very much for the new reviews and favs. They are deeply appreciated. Please enjoy the latest update.

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

**-Dream-**

"I don't like him."

Her skin chilled at her cousin's voice. His sudden declaration came as a surprise to her as he rarely openly shared his thoughts with her. She wished he hadn't though. Being exposed to his world made her vulnerable and the last thing she wanted was for Adamas to know she was afraid of him.

Serena kept her eyes ahead of her, pretending not to hear him. But every inch of hair on her skin pricked at Adamas's unwelcomed presence and she instinctively wrapped her arms around herself, cursing silently when the worst of her fears happened. The grass rustled behind her as Adamas narrowed the distance between them. Serena clamped her eyes shut as she waited for his breath on the back of her neck.

"I know you don't like him either. I can tell."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Serena answered before she could stop herself. Many times she had vowed to never engage in one of Adamas's little taunts and many times she had failed to keep her own promises.

"I'm talking about Darion," Adamas replied. "Your father's new favorite." He sneered at the last word and Serena cringed. _How dare he!_ she thought, fuming inside. Still, she refused to look directly at him. Just the thought of facing his taunting smile was enough to drive her to the wall.

"I like him more than I like you," she retorted, unable to help herself and immediately hated herself for it but she wouldn't stop it. "In fact, ten of him is better than one of you."

Adamas cocked an eyebrow at his cousin's outburst. "And how would you know that, cousin dear?"

Serena remained silent. Indeed, she did not know. She knew nothing about Darion and all he ever did since his arrival was spending time with the king in and out of the palace walls, visiting every known corner of Elysion land. It was unsettling and she did not understand why. All she knew was that she wanted Adamas away from her as far as possible.

"Just stay away from me, Adamas. I'm not in the mood." _In fact, I never am!_

Adamas scoffed, "be careful what you wish for, cousin dear. I may be the only person who could ever save you and when that happens," he paused before turning away and Serena sensed a change in his tone. If she had taken that moment to turn around and look at him, she might have caught a glint of sadness in her cousin's eyes which was soon hidden from her sight as he turned his back on her, "I may not be able to."

_What does that even mean? _Serena thought as she listened to Adamas's receding steps, letting out a long sigh of relief as soon as they were gone. She looked at the sky, glad that it was almost time.

Adamas hid behind a white stone pillar and watched as Serena remained alone in the Elysion tower's courtyard, leaving as soon as he caught a shade of yellow, reflecting like gold in the morning light, swiveling left and right towards the princess.

"Training is hard!" Serena's best friend exclaimed as she plopped onto the grass of their favorite spot next to the lake. Her bright yellow hair fell back in thick tresses as she settled backwards, propped on her elbows. Serena also sat, tucking her feet securely beneath her. It was the long-awaited season of the Narcissus and they relished in an abode of white and yellow.

"Why is it hard?" Serena asked.

"Day after day I have to sit for hours on end with my eyes closed and force myself to think of nothing! I have to memorize every single line of the old scriptures and chant them nonstop and if I were caught catching even a tiny breath I'd get whacked with a stick! They said 'concentrate!' and I don't even know what I'm supposed to concentrate on! And when I asked, they accused me as being faithless and the one who doubts. What kind of life is that for a girl like me?" The blonde priestess wailed.

"Are you allowed to have that kind of thinking, Aphrodite?" Serena jabbed with harmless jest to which her friend responded with slight annoyance. "Don't call me that, you know I hate that."

"Sorry, Mina." Serena said as she plucked something out from her sleeve. It was long and bright red. "Please accept this gift as my apology."

Mina looked from Serena to the red ribbon and back again, the blue in her own eyes softening and brimming with adoration towards her best friend's gesture. "Sere, I..." her voice trailed off as no words could surmount what she was feeling. She gingerly took the ribbon from Serena and placed it close to her bosom. A thankful nod of her head was all it took for the bond between the princess and the fledgling priestess to blossom.

"Why red anyway?" Mina asked while she attempted to fix it into the shape of a bow on her hair. Serena shrugged, "it's a pretty color and it looks good on you." _And, because I'm constantly reminded of him... _She decided to keep that thought to herself.

"Really? I love it! Thank you so much, Sere!" Delighted with her new ornament, she stood up and began to twirl. _Like a goddess,_ Serena thought, admiring Mina's gracefulness, knowing deep inside that beneath that easygoing personality was true beauty and charm that wasn't cultivated through years of control by the royal chains that held her. Mina was held by a different set of chains. Still, chains they were and that's what brought them close together, each recognizing the deep inner quality of the other, each helping the other fight their own inner demons and weaknesses. And because Mina portrayed such great survival instincts that the broody princess couldn't help but wonder sometimes if Mina was only there for Serena's benefit. Maybe Mina didn't necessarily need her around. Maybe Serena had begotten such self-inadequacy that invoked Mina's need to protect. Such thoughts were soon muddled and regressed into the murky folds of her mind as reality returned in the form of Mina's voice, "... okay?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Are you okay? You look dazed."

"I was just thinking ."

"Of?"

"Um..." _Quick! Think of an excuse!_

"C'mon! Just spit it out!"

"Darion." _God!_

Mina's blue irises glowed at the mention of his name and Serena swore they were birthing stars. "Oh yes! I knew I was forgetting something! I wanted to ask you about him! He's like the biggest affair in the whole of Elysion right now and I heard he's quite a spectacle! Well? Out with it!" Serena swore the stars in Mina's eyes were bursting in a wild array of colors she didn't know were even humanly possible.

"Who have _you_ been talking to, Mina? All you do is sit and stare through your eyelids and look at weird symbols all day long."

"Walls have ears. Quit trying to change the subject!" Mina snapped, crushing Serena's feeble attempt to avoid talking about her newfound half-brother, the last thing she'd ever want to do. _What was I thinking! _she wailed inwardly. "I-"

"Hello ladies," said a voice, announcing its proximity. For the second time of the day, Serena's skin chilled. To think that her savior came in the form of...

"I see that this part of the lake has already been taken. Pardon my intrusion. Curiosity got the better of me as I happened to pass by and heard my name and-"

"Prince Darion!" Mina exclaimed as she immediately got onto the balls of her feet, shutting the raven-haired newcomer up. "Oh, no! You're not intruding at all!"

Darion's face lit up, "Then," he said with a slight bow. "I can't imagine being more honoured to be anywhere else other than in your presence." His deep blue eyes danced towards the blonde princess, "would you feel the same, Serena?"

If circumstances allowed, Serena would have rolled her eyes on the spot. But no, she was a princess and she had a role to play. Instead, she looked up and stared into the face of her half-brother and smiled. "Of course, do join us. Indeed, you didn't mishear us for we were having a discussion about you. Aphrodite wants to know if what the whole of Elysion said of you is true." She wasn't looking but she knew Mina was mentally shooting daggers at her right now. _Oh well,_ she thought. _It'll be some time before we meet again after today and by then she would have forgotten. This would teach her for treading on grounds she's not welcomed on!_

"Oh? And what was that being said?" Darion asked. Serena knew that there was more to it than just happenstance and she wanted to know what.

"I don't know. Why don't you tell him what the walls told you, Aphrodite?" Serena knew she was about to overstep her boundaries and if she doesn't stop now, heads will roll. "Out with it." _That's it, _she thought as she felt the daffodils shrivel beneath her and her gut began to ache. She saw that the stars in Mina's eyes have ebbed away, unraveling a different cosmos.

"Please excuse me, prince and princess of Elysion. My time is up and I have to get back to my duties." Mina said as she lowered her head in a bow. "Thank you for your wonderful gift, Princess Serena." And she left without looking back, leaving half of the hurt behind in the form of unspoken guilt and regret.

The hot afternoon breeze brushed past Serena's face, drying up a tear before it could fully form. _Mina must hate me right now,_ she thought to herself.

"Did I say anything wrong?" Darion asked.

Serena shook her head, "it was nothing you said."

"It was something I did then."

_Yes, you should not have come!_ Serena wanted to say but pressed her lips. Instead, she looked back at the raven-haired prince and asked, "why are you here?"

"I already said, I was passing by when I heard someone said my name and-"

"I'm not stupid, Darion."

Darion let out a sigh and Serena had a start when he settled down beside her, knees crossed. At closeup, she noticed the semi-translucency of his stainless white tunic and immediately darted her eyes away when she caught them dangerously exploring the curves of his built. Remembering of her coming of age lessons, Lady Michiru had explained to her in the most cheek-flushing detail the things men and women do to each other when they are in love. _"It feels like two souls melting into one as the physical bodies wrap around each other like sweet vines. Colors of all sorts rupture like starbursts under the deepest part of a bottomless ocean where all the cares of the outside world would simply bubble away. The first time a man drives himself into a woman, it marks the end of her girlhood which would thus mark the start of his devotion towards her and that my dear, is the beauty of it."_

"... your thoughts?"

Serena's mind had wandered off again and Darion's voice collided with it, pummelling her back to reality. _I really need to stop doing that!_ she thought as she stared at Darion blankly. "I'm sorry?"

"I said: lost in your thoughts?" Darion's shoulder was almost touching hers and she silently chided herself for having kept her guard down. "What are you doing here, Darion?" Serena asked again, detecting a faint hint of lavender.

Darion's gaze fell unto hers with one raised eyebrow, slightly taken aback by her precariousness. _Why does she build such a wall around herself?_ he wondered. _Surely, there must be a reason. _"I believe," he began. "I'm here because though we have formally met, I know nothing about you. For the past season since I was here, I've been in the footsteps of the king, learning everything I can about the kingdom of Elysion and our people. I've been on the hunting grounds with cousin Adamas and his friends."

_Adamas has friends?_ Serena thought incredulously.

"I've spent at least a day or two knowing all who live within our castle walls, everyone except you, Serena, my very own sister. No matter where or how, I just couldn't catch up with you for it would be but mere seconds before you disappear like a ghost. I'm sorry that the only way I could get up this close to you is that I dreamwalk."

"Dreamwalk?"

It was Darion's turn to look bemused. "Do you not know of what I speak of?"

Serena glanced away. "No." She was unable to understand why Darion was looking at her with astoundment on his face. "I see," he finally said with a soft sigh. "Please forget that I was here then, Serena." Then without another word, he stood up and began to walk away, leaving Serena alone, held in a trance that was not her doing. Suddenly, her shoulder shook violently and there was a cry beside her that sounded distant and incoherent. Her eyelids fluttered open and she looked dazedly around her. The sun was still up and bright and the scent of daffodils brought her back to reality. _Have I been sleeping?_ she thought.

"Sere! Are you alright? God, I thought I've lost you!" Mina's hair spiralled down on her like splashes of gold as she continued to shake Serena. "What do mean you lost me?" Feeling light-headed and out of place, Serena decided to bend forward and count to ten.

"You were in a trance! Your eyes were open but you weren't there! Have you been dreamwalking?"

"Huh?" _Where have I heard that before?_

"Dreamwalk! Isn't that what you heirs of Elysion do?"

"What are you talking about, Mina?" _God, my head! What just happened in there?_

"You mean you can't? That's weird. I've been told that all those of the Elysion bloodline can dreamwalk. Oh god, Sere!"

_All those of the Elysion bloodline can… what?_ Serena's head swirled so badly that she thought she was going to spin out of space. The second before she blacked out, the faint form of Darion was the last thing she saw in her head.

* * *

"You're back from your dreamwalking," a deep hollow voice rang in his ear as he sat up from the wooden divan that stood in the centre of the king's chamber of dreams. No one was allowed in except for those who had been bestowed with the gift of dreamwalking. So far, he has seen everyone of the Elysion bloodline walk into the chamber of dreams, except…

"What did you see?" the king of Elysion asked.

Darion turned to face the still silhouette of his father, outlined by the faint glow of a single lighted candlestick. "You never told me." His voice teemed with a slight hint of accusation.

"I thought it'd be best if you found that out yourself."

Darion continued to sit in silence. He had tried on many occasions to meet Serena in her dreams, but to no avail. He thought maybe he wasn't strong enough because he was after all a long lost member of the Elysion family. Is that why it had to take her to think of his name for him to enter her dreams?

"Why then," he began to ask. "If she's not an Elysion princess, why does she walk around as one?"

The chamber door creaked open. Dust swam in the rays of light that revealed the king's face. "Come with me my son, and I'll show you why."


	5. Lost Light

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Sailor Moon.**

**A/N: Hi all. Thank you all for reading. I'm sorry that I take so long to update. Please enjoy this new chapter.**

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**-Lost Light-**

The wind sang into his ear as he walked through it. His hair flowed, the silken ends caressed by an unseen hand in the dark. His eyes glow a deep purple as he watched the night wake from its deep slumber, felt its cold kiss upon his face. The leaves of the trees rustled as he brushed past them and not so far away, a lone wolf howled. He looked up and saw only a dark empty space that stretched out endlessly to more dark empty spaces. His eyes scanned the sky as if in search for something and he looked away, eyes glazing with grieve for he like the wolf had gazed at nothing.

He walked further into the bowels of the forest which grew denser with each step he took. Soon, he came upon a writhing nest of thorn and dead bramble, creeping upwards like the heads of serpents. It shivered and hissed defiantly as he parted the thick brush and stepped through it, revealing an old stone entrance within. Dirt and grime caked between the conjoining lines where stone met stone, each and every one of them beaten and weathered by the harsh flow of age and time. He stood before the heavy wooden door where at the top, the shape of a round insignia was carved deep into it, its metallic body equally bronzed by the trickling drop of years.

A rusty hinge creaked heavily as the wooden door was pushed open and the man with the dark hair walked into the dusty corridor where murk and musk meet in a long-awaited dance. In the shadows was a flight of stone steps that spiraled upwards. The man let out a long sigh before he made the first step, trailing his long dark cloak across the dusty floor in his slow ascend towards the top. Each step he took led his mind through the tunnel of a memory. Time was unwound and he could hear a soft buzzing which soon grew to cheers of thousands.

* * *

_"Long live the Queen!" A sea of people with silver hair churned like an endless wave before the Moon Palace where a roar of excitement shook the land._

_Finally, she appeared, her hair shimmering like diamonds in water as she stood upon a round pedestal, wrapped in an ever-flowing gown. Moonlight shone through her skin and everyone beheld her glow in high reverence. She showered her people with her light, purifying them as they danced in celebration._

_"Long live the Moon Queen!" They cheered once more as the Moon Queen, aided by her loyal guardian, resided back into her chamber where she would rest. She smiled at her guardian and he saw that her eyes were windows to the summer skies. He took in her scent as she went on her toes to kiss him goodnight on his cheek and he watched the last of her trailing dress disappear behind her door._

_With a stroke of his hand, he waved it in mid-air and created a magical barrier before the Moon Queen's door. "You have been chosen as the Moon Queen's protector," he had been told many moon turns away. For among the thousands of moon people, he was entrusted with the duty as the Moon Queen's loyal aid and guardian. "You have the purest heart," she had told him when he asked why he had been chosen. "Only the one with a pure heart can stay within the light for long periods of time without getting blinded by it. That's just the way it is," she had told him and he vowed to keep close to her light for as long as he live._

_Through the tiny gaps of the door, he could hear the queen's soft sighs as sleep took over her and he watched her light pulsate like the gentle heartbeat of a firefly before it dimmed to a faint soothing glow. Satisfied that her safety would be kept in check by his magic, he retreated back to his own chamber where he would wait for his queen's next rising moment._

* * *

The top was a dark circular room and he was surprised that he still remembered it so vividly. It was exactly how he had left it and not a single detail had changed except for the dust that had settled over the years and the colors of the fabrics have dulled. His eyes wavered around the center of the room before they dropped to the floor. There it lay lifelessly. The last of her essence had dissipated from it long time ago and now it was just a piece of rag waiting to be reclaimed.

_Why am I here?_ he wondered as the pain of guilt and regret throbbed in his chest. A soft breeze blew through a tiny window, beckoning him towards it. He tried not to look out for he knew what he would see. But it was already too late and the round lifeless thing that hung in the night sky took hold of his eyes. Only when the pain in his chest became too unbearable did he look away from the window. It's been too long since he last visited the tower, only to be left wandering around this land to which he has been stranded on. He walked towards a rocking chair and dust flew as he tilted it backwards. It creaked back to life as it rocked and his memories continued to unfold.

* * *

_"My queen…" the Moon Queen's loyal guardian began._

_"Please, Fighter. Have you forgotten?"_

_There was a long pause and he looked at his queen. She was serious about her request that she had made a while back and knowing her, she won't take no for an answer. He abided by her, strings of his long silver hair hanging wispily as he bowed and awkwardly addressed her by her name._

_"That's better," the Moon Queen smiled. But he could see that there was something else glazing in her eyes. "Fighter, how long have you been in my service?" She asked, hand cupped over his face._

_"Two hundred thousand and one moon turns," he replied._

_"And do you know what happens during the two hundred thousand and second moon turn?"_

_He nodded, "a new moon queen is to be born."_

_The Moon Queen took his free hand and guided it to her cheek. He watched silently as she brushed his hand with her fair face. "And you know what you must do?" She asked once she had her eyes locked on his, beckoning for his answer._

_The silver-haired guardian felt a lump in his throat and tried to push it down. There was a tightness that was starting to coil like a serpent around his heart. He felt the breath crushed out of his lungs, rendering him unfit to answer. But the queen patiently waited and her eyes that bore the summer skies brought him comfort._

_"I will carry your dying body to the lonely tower that stands on Earth and place you down where I will await for the new moon's birth. And with my life I will protect her within the tower until she is whole and ready to rise back and give light to our people."_

_The Moon Queen looked at Fighter and nodded in satisfaction at his answer. "I remember your father," she told him. "I remember the sound of his voice that soared through the galaxy and gave birth to stars. He sang about the coming of a pure heart and that was centuries before your arrival. I remember how surprised he looked when he learned that he had been singing about his only son._

_Fighter remembered the tale well. His father had been known for his beautiful voice. And with his songs, the skies surrounding the moon had been filled with countless stars. They said that one night he sang so loud that the vibration of his voice knocked a star off the sky and fell onto his hands. Not knowing what else to do, he brought it home as a gift to his wife who was soon found to be with child._

_"What is your real name, Fighter?"_

_"It's Seiya…" he told her._

_"Seiya…" she repeated, the sound of his name dancing upon her lips. "I'm so glad to have met you."_

_The lump in his throat travelled to the base of his tongue and before his queen, he cried._

* * *

_"Seiya!"_

_He almost lost his footing and could have plunged to his death below if she hadn't grabbed onto him for dear life. "Seiyaseiyaseiya! What took you so long!" He tried not to laugh at the sight before him: Her crossed eyebrows and puffed cheeks, trying her very best to look as angry as she can. But he knew that she was only feigning it. The truth is she felt extremely lonely without him around and for that he felt guilty._

_"I'm sorry, Serenity. You said you wanted berries and they were hard to find." He said as he stepped into the tower with a basket full of red berries in his hand. Serenity squealed in delight when she saw them and took the basket away, forgetting about her anger. As she delighted herself in the berries, Seiya could not help but notice the striking resemblance she bore with the last Moon Queen. Fifteen moon turns have passed since her birth and her hair now hung in thick silver locks that could reach the bottom of the tower. If neither one of them was careful, something unexpected might just climb up. But such thoughts were only kept away at the back of his mind. For now, all that he cared about was the joy her summer blue eyes brought to him._

_"Seiya," she began._

_"Hmm?" He sat at the rocking chair, his long silver hair tugged back in a pony tail. He was getting ready to continue with the knitting of her new dress._

_"When can we go back to the moon?"_

_"Not in another moon turn, and once your dress is done. So before that, why don't you share with me one of your lovely stories?"_

_Young Serenity pondered for a moment before she looked at her guardian and began. "I've been having some strange dreams."_

_"Dreams?"_

_Serenity nodded, the silver curls bouncing off the sides of her face as she did. "I was standing in front of the window and a person would appear. A person like you and me… I think it was more like you because it was tall and strong-looking and it had hair like the wings of a blackbird."_

_"Judging by your description, that person would be a 'he' not an 'it'." Seiya said._

_"He?"_

_ "Yes. You're a 'she'. A 'he' and a 'she' are very different." Seiya added._

_"How different?"_

_Seiya's fingers dropped what they were working on, and his eyes darted around as if in some corner of the room would lay his answer. Never before had he find the need to explain to Serenity the most intimate workings of the body. He was after all a man and how can a man share such knowledge to a growing woman? Such a job requires that of a woman and he was no woman! Alas! Maybe he should have taken the goddess oath before coming down to earth. The goddess oath would have prepared him for such difficult tasks that only a woman could carry. But the thought of living in the form of a woman for sixteen moon turns was too much for him to bear. He thought, what could possibly happen that is worst of for a man? Well, Seiya, this is what happened. To answer a simple question like what's the difference between a 'he' and a 'she'. Hah!_

_"Well… we're just different. Look at me. I'm what you consider a 'he'. I have a broader chest and bigger shoulders. I have a sharper jaw and I look scarier than you. I have a deeper voice and I can't squeal."_

_"What's that supposed to mean!"_

_Seiya chuckled. "I mean you have a nicer voice." His hands returned to their work and he asked, "anything else happened in your dream?"_

_Serenity shook her head, "no." She walked up towards Seiya and kissed him on his cheek, "I think I'll rest now."_

_Seiya watched as the silver-haired future Moon Queen tucked herself beneath her covers and for a split second, he could see a soft light radiating from her skin before it ebbed away. She's almost ready, he thought. And he prayed with all his heart for the sixteenth moon turn to quickly arrive._

_ "Endy… mion…" A soft whisper escaped from under the covers._

_Seiya stared at Serenity. No, she's still asleep. Was she dreaming of that man again? Was that who she was calling for? Is it possible to not only conjure an imaginary person in a dream but to also give it a name? What was it? Endymion? That's an awfully familiar name. Where have he heard it before? Seiya closed his eyes and tried to recall but everything was just a white empty space and as soon as his thoughts took a toll on him, he fell into a deep sleep._

* * *

_ Tomorrow is the night. The sixteenth moon turn was in one more night. The dress was complete and he had left the tower after instructing Serenity to put it on for her return to her true home. He could already feel the anticipation of the moon people. He knew they have been waiting for this moment as long as he did. Serenity's light had been growing stronger as the moon inched towards its final turn. And tonight when the moon makes its full sixteenth turn, her light would be at its purest. Then they can finally return home._

_"I will return at the first light of dawn and we will prepare for your return." He had told her before leaving her alone in the tower. He had stopped by his favorite spot in the Elysion forest, his home for most of his time on earth when he was away from the tower. He wanted to bid the forest good bye. "I'll be going home tomorrow night. Farewell, keepers of the forest. Farewell, lovely earth. I will continuously watch you from where I'll be." And as if an answer to his farewell, a red rose bloomed before him, its petals spread out in a wide embrace-like gesture. Seiya smiled in gratitude, knowing that the forest had enjoyed his visit as much as he and it was wishing him well in its own forest language. "Thank you," he said lastly and began to make his way back to the tower. As he did, his eyes gazed upon the round silver disc that floated above him. He noticed something strange happening. The moon have stopped turning and its light was fading._

_What's happening? he thought suddenly as he felt his legs weakening and everything else seemed so awfully dark. Serenity! came his next thought. And tried as he might, he pushed his weak legs forward, stumbling at every step he made. His thought was fixed fully on Serenity that he did not notice the silver fading from the very tips of his hair._

_"Serenity!" he shouted as he neared the tower. He soon saw that he was not alone._

_"Who are you?" one intruder asked and Seiya saw that his hair was as white as snow, but did not radiate light like his kind. Earthians! he realized with despair. How could this happen? Haven't I placed barriers around the tower so that no Earthians could possibly come close?_

_"Answer me!" The white-haired Earthian boomed._

_"He must be the moon lady's guardian," said another who had long wavy locks as dark as the roots of a tree._

_The white-haired Earthian raised an eyebrow at Seiya, "is that true?"_

_Seiya could only nod. How do they know of Serenity?_

_"Well, I'm sorry to say that you are now relieved of your duties."_

_What?_

_"He still looks confused, Sir Malakhe." said a third who had a feminine edge to his voice._

_"There is nothing to be confused about. Look at him! The myth is true!"_

_"What are you talking about?" Seiya finally could not resist the urge to ask._

_"Have you not noticed that the light is gone from your hair?"_

_Seiya glanced down where locks of his hair spill over his front in the blackest form he has ever seen. He grabbed clumps of it and stared, disbelief pouring from his eyes._

_"You have our pity," the Earthian called Malakhe said. "There is nothing worse than failing your duty as protector. But we have our own duty to fulfill, for you see, we serve Endymion, king of Elysion."_

_Endymion! Such revelation was like a slap in the face! Seiya collapsed to his knees and mourned for he finally understood the true meaning of her dream. It had been no dream but magic and that magic had taken her away. The dying moon loomed above him like an eye of contempt and Seiya watched helplessly as a herd of dark clouds shunned it from his sight. My people! He wailed._

_"Just end his misery already," said a fourth voice but Seiya did not look back to see. Without a word, Malakhe walked up to the kneeling man, lost and weakened from despair. "Forgive me," he said as he struck his sword through Seiya's back and out again, sending along a pool of red. Before all his senses faded away, he saw a white light from the corner of his eye spilling before the grass before him. He imagined himself reaching out to grab it but as the last of his breath left him, so did the silver locks of light he had failed to keep._

* * *

_He opened his eyes to the sound of the forest stirring. Pools of the morning light dappled around him. Wake up! it cried in its forest tongue. Seiya did as he was told and felt his chest where he remembered vividly, an Earthian sword had struck through. He cannot die. That was one of his gifts when he was charged with the duty to protect the Moon Queen. He cannot die unless the Moon Queen stated so. Even when all the lights go out and the moon dies, as long as he was not released by the Moon Queen herself, he can never die. Alas, he was to be stranded on this land for all eternity._

_Do not despair, you have us. The forest rustled around him._

_"Yes, thank you." Seiya looked up into the tower, his eyes strained to see past the dark hole that seemed to stare back at him mockingly. There is nothing there! he heard the forest cry, beseeching him not to go. "I must go, I must face what's up there." He said and the forest begged no more._

* * *

He left the stone tower, still shaken by the reawakening of his memories. Stumbling through the forest, he fell forward and when he looked up, there she was. Her hair shone like gold. Her eyes were huge and bore the light of the summer skies.

_Are you real? _he wondered, recalling the sound of a fairy's voice that harmonized with a dance of her feet.

When he opened his eyes again, there was no blonde beauty before him. Instead, a single stalk of red rose stared back at him, its petals spread out revealing its heart to him. You are not alone, it seemed to say. "There's something about her, isn't there?" he asked the rose. "I must see her again," Seiya whispered and he listened to the forest rustle as if to say, 'Go.'

Finally he stood up and slowly, he plunged into the curtain of light.


End file.
